New Zealand’s Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy said his country is “very keen” to develop trade ties with Iran.

“We are very keen to do more business with Iran,” Guy told in Dubai recently after paying an official visit to Tehran.

He described Iran as a “very important” market.

Guy, heading a high-ranking economic delegation, visited Iran on Sunday, in an attempt to revive his country’s business ties with the Islamic Republic.

During his visit, the minister held talks with Iranian Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati and inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Islamic Republic paving the way for the resumption of meat exports to the second-biggest economy in the Middle East and North Africa region.

New Zealand kiwifruit marketer Zespri International and Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture also signed a statement of intent outlining undertakings to further explore commercial opportunities in Iran.

“Current import conditions mean that New Zealand is unable to export kiwifruit to Iran. However, the letter of intent outlines undertakings to further explore commercial opportunities in Iran,” Guy said.

New Zealand sent its Minister of Trade Todd McClay to Tehran in December at the head of a senior-level business delegation to look into the prospects of reviving trade with the Islamic Republic after a hiatus of over a decade.